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Feeling tired? No pep? Short of breath more than in the past? If everyday tasks seem daunting due to fatigue and weakness, consider pulmonary rehab to regain your strength.  Pulmonary rehabilitation isn’t just about breathing exercises, it’s a holistic approach to revitalizing your overall well-being with exPercise classes, nutritional guidance, and improving airway clearance techniques.
With an array of options available, including online programs, finding the right pulmonary rehabilitation program will require a little research. Seek recommendations from your doctor or explore centers affiliated with hospitals or bronchiectasis specialists. Benefits of Pulmonary Rehabilitation: 🌟Boosts your stamina 🌟Improves Quality of Life 🌟Reduces breathlessness 🌟Strengthens respiratory muscles 🌟Improves self-management Remember, if you feel you are in a downward spiral, you need to take action to stop it. Even a small step in the right direction can make a big difference. Once you’ve completed your program, my book, The BE CLEAR Method to Living with Bronchiectasis has 10 exercises to help you stay strong and breathe better. Additionally, the BE CLEAR with Bronchiectasis YouTube channel I have gentle exercise routines. If you have a Gmail account, you can subscribe to my channel and be notified when a new video is available. #pulmonaryrehab #bronchiectasis #COPD #exercise
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I shared with my 24-year-old granddaughter how much I dislike promoting my book, consultation services, and YouTube channel. She looked at me and said, “But why, Grandma? If you believe in the work you’ve done and know it’s helping people, why feel embarrassed about sharing it?"  She had a point. My book, The BE CLEAR Method to Living with Bronchiectasis, has made a difference for thousands of people since its publication in 2021.
I also regularly receive heartfelt emails from clients after consultations, expressing gratitude for the personalized guidance. Many share how they’ve gained a sense of control over their condition. With tailored suggestions designed for their unique lifestyles, they’re able to see a clear path forward—one that shows how they can live a full and active life while managing bronchiectasis. Then there’s the BE CLEAR with Bronchiectasis YouTube channel, which now features over 100 videos—a completely free resource for subscribers. Even though it may be years before I earn income from it, the real reward comes from knowing that people across the globe—especially those without local resources—are getting the tools and knowledge they need to better care for themselves. So, inspired by my granddaughter’s wisdom, I’m embracing the importance of sharing. If you or someone you care about could benefit from these resources, please check them out! With these BE CLEAR tools, we can kick off a renewed determination and a deeper commitment to living our best life. 🩵The BE CLEAR Method book is available on Amazon 💙Right here on my website letsbecleartoday.com, you can schedule a consultation: 💛Visit the BE CLEAR with Bronchiectasis YouTube channel for lots of FREE tutorials on how to stay our healthiest!! Please spread the word in your bronchiectasis and NTM Lung Disease support groups and on social media about these resources⭐️❤️⭐️❤️ #bronchiectasis #beclearmethod #LindaEspositoMPH In this video, I show exactly how I treat the showerhead while staying in a rental condo—a practical tip that some of you may find helpful for travel or even as a long-term solution at home.  How I Stay Safe from Waterborne Pathogens—Even in a Rental Shower
These kinds of precautions might not be necessary for everyone, and they’re always best discussed with your healthcare provider.That said, if you’ve been told, “You can’t really avoid waterborne exposure,” or “There’s nothing you can do in a rental,” I invite you to see for yourself. You be the judge! Why This Matters: Insights from Dr. Joseph Falkinham on Shower Safety Dr. Joseph Falkinham—an environmental microbiologist and one of the leading researchers on nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM)—has spent decades studying how these bacteria, including Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), thrive in household water systems. 🔬Key Takeaways from Dr. Falkinham’s Research
💡 What You Can Do in a Rental House
Let’s Grow the BE CLEAR with Bronchiectasis YouTube Channel—Together! I’ve created over 100 free videos on the BE CLEAR YouTube channel to make helpful, accurate, and empowering information available to people living with bronchiectasis all over the world. One of the best features of YouTube is its built-in translation tools, making my content accessible to viewers in multiple languages. Whether you’re watching for yourself—or your dog enjoys the soothing sounds while you’re out running errands—every single view, share, and subscription helps the channel grow. 🎯 My goal: Reach 3,000 total watch hours so I can begin earning from the platform—and reinvest into creating even more educational content. 🙏 How You Can Help:
🧠 Final Thoughts Staying safe doesn’t have to be complicated—but it does require intention. With a little preparation and some trusted guidance, you can take small steps that make a big difference—whether you’re at home or on the go. I hope this video gives you something actionable, empowering, and even a little hopeful. #BEClearYouTube #OneMinuteshower #bronchiectasis Urinary incontinence—can affect anyone, but it’s especially common among women as we age or experience changes in our pelvic health.  What You Should Know About Urinary Incontinence—and What’s Helped Me Most For some, it’s just a small leak when laughing or coughing. For others, it might be a bigger accident during physical activity or even while at rest. Common triggers include:
🏋️♀️ Are Kegels the Answer? Most people have heard of Kegel exercises, which involve squeezing and holding the pelvic floor muscles to improve strength and control. But let’s be honest--Kegels can be hard to get right. Without biofeedback or guidance from a pelvic floor therapist, many people are unsure if they’re doing them correctly. In fact, a biofeedback study found that up to 50% of women perform Kegels incorrectly without instruction. 🔄 What Worked for Me: Functional Movement Over Isolation After having a hysterectomy in my 40s, I started experiencing occasional urinary leakage—especially when I had a bad cough or was active. Kegels alone didn’t help much, and honestly, I found them frustrating. That’s when I began focusing on functional movement and core integration—and everything changed. The exercises that helped me most included:
When I stay consistent with this approach, I rarely have leaks—even when I’m sick and coughing. Curious about what exercises to try? Check out The National Association for Continence or speak with a licensed pelvic floor physical therapist. 💬 Let’s Talk About It Urinary incontinence can feel isolating, but it’s incredibly common—and very treatable. Whether you’re just noticing small leaks or dealing with more significant issues, you’re not alone, and you’re not stuck. More open conversations lead to more awareness, more solutions, and less shame. 🩺 Resources: #coughing #bronchiectasis #pelvicfloor #incontinence I switched to the Ombra compressor nebulizing system after noticing that it was consistently prescribed at National Jewish Health, one of the world’s leading lung hospitals.  When working with clients, I often demonstrate my own airway clearance routine but always recommend consulting a respiratory professional whenever possible. Unfortunately, many people don’t have access to specialized care in their communities and must rely on manufacturer inserts, online videos, and our education sessions together.
Dr. Charles Daley, a world-renowned expert on bronchiectasis and NTM disease, recently said: “The cornerstone of therapy is what is termed airway clearance. Part of the pathophysiology of bronchiectasis is the airways produce too much mucus. The airways get plugged up. That makes people cough, it makes their pulmonary function worsen, and also their risk for infection increase. So airway clearance, and when we when we talk about that, there are several ways we can improve airway clearance. We can give someone what are called Oscillating PEP valves. These are handheld devices that you breathe (into), and it causes some vibration in the airwaves. It causes some back pressure, and that helps open the airways and shear the thicker mucus, so so the patient can get it out. My favorite is the Aerobika used in tandem with the Aeroeclipse nebulizing cup. There are other things we can do. We can give them inhaled hypertonic saline, which can thin the mucus. Vests are (what) people wear that also vibrate and can help break up the mucus. So there’s different approaches. In the exact way we do it varies from patient to patient. One may be on one of those, one may be on all of those.” Let’s remember airway clearance isn’t one-size-fits-all—it requires the right tools and techniques for each person. When specialized care isn’t available, education and the right resources empower people to take charge of their lung health. www.letsbecleartoday.com BE CLEAR has a consulting relationship with Monaghan Medical Thirty-three U.S. centers join the new Bronchiectasis and NTM Care Center Network facilitating access to high-quality, specialized patient care for bronchiectasis and NTM lung disease.  Miami (March 12, 2025) – The Bronchiectasis and NTM Association has accepted 27 Care Center and six Clinical Associate Center sites in 23 states and the District of Columbia into the new Bronchiectasis and NTM Care Center Network (CCN).
The CCN aims to facilitate access to specialized care and support for the hundreds of thousands of people with bronchiectasis and nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lung disease. “As the prevalence of bronchiectasis and NTM lung disease grows, it is even more important for us to create this Care Center Network to improve access to high-quality, specialty care and resources patients need,” said Doreen Addrizzo-Harris, M.D., Chair of the CCN Steering Committee. “The CCN’s innovative, nationwide network will help us achieve our goals of improving care and quality of life for those with these conditions, as well as advancing toward a cure.” Centers accepted into the CCN receive a designation of either a Bronchiectasis and NTM Care Center or a Bronchiectasis and NTM Clinical Associate Center, based on institutional resources and infrastructure. The requirements are established by the CCN’s Steering Committee, comprised of leading experts in the field. The new Bronchiectasis and NTM Care Center sites are:
The network will span 150 medical centers in diverse geographical locations nationwide over the next three years. The Bronchiectasis and NTM Care Center Network is generously supported by Insmed Incorporated as a Founding Sponsor and Boehringer Ingelheim. For more information about the Bronchiectasis and NTM Care Center Network, visit www.bronchandntm.org. #bronchiectasiscarecenters #NTMCare #COPDFoundation |
AuthorLinda Cooper Esposito, MPH is a health educator with bronchiectasis. She developed the BE CLEAR Method to Living with Bronchiectasis and writes with compassion and humor about this chronic lung disease. Archives
April 2025
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